Publication Items

Eco-Muckrakers, Dig In — Writing for Nonprofit Ecology and Conservation Magazines [1]

Freelancers looking to explore complex environmental issues may want to consider magazines published by … environmental organizations. Despite the caveats, like ensuring a publication’s editorial independence and guarding against organizational self-promotion, long-time environmental writer Francesca Lyman makes the case in the latest Freelance Files that the pros of such gigs outweigh the cons. Plus a sampler of pubs to approach.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Eco-Muckrakers, Dig In — Writing for Nonprofit Ecology and Conservation Magazines [1]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [8]

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [9]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [10]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [11]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [13]
Chemicals [14]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [16]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Military [26]
Natural Resources [27]
Planning & Growth [28]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Science [31]
Waste [32]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Europe [34]
Middle East [35]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [8]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [36]

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [11]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [13]
Climate Change [15]
Consumer [38]
Disasters [16]
Diversity [39]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [41]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Food [42]
Forests [43]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Natural Resources [27]
Planning & Growth [28]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Transportation [44]
Waste [32]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Alaska and Hawaii [46]
California [47]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [48]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
International [6]
Canada [50]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [36]
Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [51]

Nearly two-thirds of the world’s rivers are impeded by dams and we keep building them in our quest for cleaner and greener sources of electricity. But as podcast producer Farha Akhtar learned while producing a recent episode, these monumental structures are having a profound impact on our planet and catastrophic consequences for many Indigenous people.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [13]
Chemicals [14]
Climate Change [15]
Consumer [38]
Diversity [39]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Food [42]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [27]
Pollution [30]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [53]
Science [31]
Technology [54]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Canada [50]
Asia [55]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [51]
Publication Indexes — Roadmaps to Environmental Science Journals … and News [56]

Findings from scientific research provide many a news lead on the environment beat, and even reporters not closely attuned to the world of scientific journals can use them to find stories. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox offers up one key: indexes. They can guide you to abstracts and free versions of otherwise costly publications. A list of indexes to try. Plus, a half-dozen other pro tips.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Studies [41]
Journalism & Media [4]
Science [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Publication Indexes — Roadmaps to Environmental Science Journals … and News [56]
Straddling the Narrow Divides Between Humans, Animals and Environmental Policy [58]

Prolific author-environmentalist Dave Dempsey’s new book, “Half Wild: People, Dogs, and Environmental Policy,” examines the complex boundaries between humans, wildlife and wilderness in a brief volume that includes vignettes of bears scouring trash heaps and of bourbon-fueled debates over the gap between conservationists and environmentalists. Not to mention bonus observations about his relationship with dogs. Contributor Gary Wilson has a review for our latest BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [59]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Environmental Health [40]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [60]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Straddling the Narrow Divides Between Humans, Animals and Environmental Policy [58]
Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [61]

The complex legal obstacles that face U.S. energy projects prompted political machinations over permitting reform in the last Congress and likely will again in the new one. The latest Backgrounder explores how the energy permitting system works (or doesn’t), why Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin may really be pushing for its reform and the reason some environmentalists concede reform may have green benefits.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [62]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Politics [20]
Government [22]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Policy [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [60]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [63]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [64]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [65]
International [6]
Canada [50]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [61]
Winning Over Editors and Others with Award Winners’ Multimedia Nuggets [66]

If you’re looking to engage key constituencies for your journalism — whether editors, sources, students or people who have been marginalized — a new set of short videos from award-winning journalists (like KESQ's Angela Chen, at left) can serve as a helpful resource. Inside Story has a roadmap of how to make smart use of these video nuggets to, for instance, convince newsroom powerbrokers to give you more time and support for ambitious stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [67]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [11]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [13]
Chemicals [14]
Climate Change [15]
Diversity [39]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Science [31]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
California [47]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [68]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Winning Over Editors and Others with Award Winners’ Multimedia Nuggets [66]
NASA Set To Ditch Satellite-Based Environmental Data Source [69]

Instrumentation on the International Space Station that gathers 3-D images of forest canopies and other environmental data is scheduled to soon be junked. But the move is provoking an outcry from scientists and pushback from some politicians. Reporter’s Toolbox examines what the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation does and how journalists might make use of it, while it lasts.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [13]
Climate Change [15]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [41]
Forests [43]
Journalism & Media [4]
Science [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about NASA Set To Ditch Satellite-Based Environmental Data Source [69]
Corporations and Climate Change Toolbox [70]

Corporations may be taking steps to address climate change, but are they moving big enough and fast enough? As part of a special initiative from the Society of Environmental Journalists, we offer a resource toolbox on how to cover business-based climate solutions. Plus, insights from a related tipsheet [71].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [10]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Journalism & Media [4]
Policy [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
International [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Corporations and Climate Change Toolbox [70]

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